Police believed a foster couple were never properly registered with a company who had placed an 11-year-old boy in their care when he died in their swimming pool.

Adrian Pullman, who suffered from autism, had only been at the home of Philip Crofts and his wife Christine Shuttleworth-Crofts for about an hour when the tragedy occurred on August 8, 2003.

The couple, from Little Farm near Colyton, East Devon, have since left the country and cannot be called as witnesses before the inquest at Exeter County Hall.

Yesterday, the coroner read out a statement from Gerald Bereika, managing director of Lifeways Child and Family Services, which worked on contract by Devon County Council. The firm has since closed down.

Mr Bereika said he was "astounded" to hear that police believed the Crofts were never properly registered with Lifeways as carers.

In his statement, he also referred to a police concern that care coordinator Beverly Dobbin's supervision was "not adequate", with meetings which should have occurred face-to-face, instead conducted over the phone.

He said Ms Dobbin was well thought of, and made no judgment on whether the police view was correct.

Ms Dobbin said the Crofts were caring for two foster children, as well as three Lifeways placements, at the time of the tragedy. Most Lifeways children had serious special needs, but the couple had been assessed as fit to supervise so many children, she said.

Adrian, of Taleford, near Ottery St Mary, had severe communication issues, and teacher Elizabeth Smith described him as having "no sense of danger". He was placed with the Crofts as an "emergency placement", because his regular respite carer was sick.

The usual process of several meetings before the stay was shortened, partly because the Crofts knew Adrian's mother and partly because his father, Roger, was "stressed" and in urgent need of a break.

Ms Dobbin was present when she introduced the Pullmans to the couple and showed them around the home. She said Mr Pullman knew of the pool and was "happy" with the placement, and that his son settled quickly on his first visit, although he showed a "reluctance" to go into the pool. He was an hour into his second visit when he died.

Ms Dobbin said the Crofts were "very professional", and said she had been assured that Mrs Shuttleworth-Croft would stay by Adrian's side if he went into the pool. But Adrian returned to the poolside without the couple's knowledge and was found face-down in the water, the inquest heard.

The hearing will continue tomorrow.